Secret doc reveals Israeli military unprepared for war

A “secret” dossier has revealed that the Israeli military is unprepared to engage in new warfare, contradicting previous assertions issued by Tel Aviv to the contrary.

The document prepared by Major General Yitzhak Brick, the ombudsman of the Israeli military, harshly criticized the military’s readiness for war, the daily Ha’aretz reported on Friday.

He sent his assessment to Israel’s minister for military affairs Avigdor Lieberman and Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and others last week, calling for the formation of an external investigative panel into the forces’ preparedness.

Ha’aretz wrote that his demand for an inquiry reflected a deep concern over the state of the ground forces and a growing lack of trust in the Israeli military’s ability "to investigate itself and correct what needs to be rectified.”

Some Israeli lawmakers expressed shock at the revelation and expressed support for General Brick's call for a probe into the preparedness of the Israeli military.

The dossier “is a harsh report that details the problems stemming from massive cuts of thousands of officers and noncommissioned officers in recent years, whose shortcomings are felt in dealing with routine [operations] — and will be felt even more so during times of emergency,” Knesset member MK Moti Yogev said.

The dossier was preceded by two detailed letters to Lieberman as well as others in which General Brick focused mainly on the military's manpower policies, describing a serious crisis that he said could have implications relating to the capabilities of the entire Israeli forces — particularly the ground forces — to fight a war, Ha’aretz added.

In an annual report released in late June, General Brick had cautioned that the Israeli military suffered from an acute shortage of doctors and psychiatrists, as well as the negative effect of cost-cutting measures.

The report had also found fault with the status of the forces’ training, training exercises, and the state of the weaponry used by the ground forces.

'100s of Israeli troops desert military service’

A report says at least 300 Israeli soldiers have deserted military service in the occupied lands.

The assessment contradicts Eisenko who had asserted in a letter earlier sent to the security cabinet and a Knesset panel that Israeli forces were at a high level of readiness for war.

As the person responsible for the readiness of the Israeli military to go to war, he believed that the Israeli forces were prepared and ready "for every mission they were called upon," Eisenko had claimed.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir